LAHORE, Aug 9, (AFP): Hundreds of people, including police officers, were injured in renewed clashes Saturday between followers of a populist, moderate cleric and the police after authorities blocked roads leading to his headquarters in Lahore.
Violence broke out earlier on Friday after hundreds of baton wielding supporters of Tahir-ul-Qadri tried to remove shipping containers used to block the roads to his base in the upscale Model Town area.
Qadri, a religious moderate who was until recently based in Canada, had previously threatened to march on the Pakistani capital and overthrow the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
He returned to Pakistan in June to lead what he terms a "peaceful revolution", claiming the country's political system only benefits the elite.
Following Saturday's renewed clashes, the cleric called off a mass prayer procession that was due to be held on Sunday in Lahore for the victims of previous violence between his supporters and the authorities in June.
"All the roads leading to Lahore have been blocked and the police are firing at our protestors, it is not possible for my activists to reach Lahore and I don't want more bloodshed," the cleric said in a televised press conference.
"I announce mass prayers sessions to be held in all villages, towns and cities across the country, we cannot afford to lose more lives," he said.
The cleric also claimed that seven of his followers had been shot dead by the police, a claim rejected by security forces.
"The police are firing straight at the chests of protestors and people travelling towards Lahore from various cities of Punjab", he said.
Fresh clashes leave hundreds hurt in Pakistan
FE Team | Published: August 10, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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